The Atlanta Braves have exercised their club option on left-hander Chris Sale, who will make $18 million in 2026, it was announced Thursday.
The 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner went 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA and 165 strikeouts in 125â…” innings for the Braves this past season. The nine-time All-Star suffered a rib cage fracture in June when he dove to field a grounder and missed 10 weeks after being placed on the 60-day injured list.
In the six starts after his return, Sale didn't miss a beat, posting a 2.72 ERA and striking out 52 batters in just 36â…“ innings.
His injury was one in a series of injuries for the Braves' starting rotation last season, as all of their Opening Day starters were on the IL as Atlanta missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Sale, 36, won the pitching Triple Crown in his first season in Atlanta in 2024, finishing with an NL high in wins (18) and strikeouts (225) and a league-low ERA of 2.38.
Atlanta, with new manager Walt Weiss, returns a strong core in 2026, led by former MVP Ronald Acuna Jr, first baseman Matt Olson, third baseman Austin Riley, future star catcher Drake Baldwin, and a rotation featuring Sale, Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach.
After a fourth-place finish, Atlanta still could be among the favorites in the NL East
Though Atlanta is flush with starting-pitching options -- young right-handers Hurston Waldrep and AJ Smith-Shawver, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, along with right-handers Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder and left-hander Joey Wentz are candidates -- its bullpen is a work in progress, with closer Raisel Iglesias headed to free agency this winter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
